Experimental assessment of seizure-like behaviors in a girl with Rett syndrome

Contextual events are recognized to affect seizure-like behaviors, yet there is limited research on procedures assessing contextual control. This study aimed to examine the utilization of a brief experimental precursor functional analysis within a clinical team assessment. Furthermore, the study explored if telehealth supervision could guide a parent administered replication of the functional analysis. The participants were a young female with Rett syndrome and a history of epilepsy as well as non-epileptic seizures and her mother. The functional analysis procedures consisted of the systematic alternations of contextual conditions that were hypothesized to either prevent or evoke seizure-like behaviors. The primary outcome measure was the occurrence of behavioral precursors that were identified to consequently signal subsequent seizure-like behaviors. In addition, procedure fidelity and interobserver agreement data were obtained alongside parent rating of the procedure's social validity. The clinical functional analysis clearly suggested that the seizure-like behaviors served the function of access to attention and preferred activities. A parent administered functional analysis replicated clinical functional analysis findings. The parent's fidelity to procedures was high and scores in social validity were excellent. The results show that functional analysis procedures could provide essential information in assessment of non-epileptic seizures. Strengths and limitations are discussed.

A Comparison Controlled Study Examining Outcome for Children With Autism Receiving Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI)

This study evaluated the effects of a center-based Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI) model for preschool aged children with autism. Outcomes of 25 children receiving IBI was compared to the outcomes of 14 children receiving autism specific, eclectic, special education. Both provisions were described as appropriate treatment options by the professional agency who diagnosed the children, and the decision of where to enroll the child was made by the parents after consultations with the specialists. After 14 months of treatment, children from the IBI group improved significantly on standard scores in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior and had a significant reduction in autism severity compared to the children in the autism specific, eclectic, special education group. Results suggest that preschool aged children with autism may make large gains in intellectual and adaptive functioning and improvement in autism severity with IBI, and that effects of IBI may be similar to that of EIBI. These findings must be interpreted with caution due to the limitations inherent in the present comparison-controlled design.

Emergent Intraverbal and Reverse Intraverbal Behavior Following Listener Training in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

We evaluated whether intraverbal and reverse intraverbal behavior emerged following listener training in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Six participants were each taught three sets of three “when?” questions in listener training. A multiple baseline design across behaviors (stimulus sets) was used to assess the effects of listener training. Results showed that intraverbal behavior emerged following listener training for five out of six participants. One participant received additional listener training and intraverbal training before intraverbal behavior emerged. Furthermore, reverse intraverbal responding occurred across all three sets of questions for three of the six participants. Establishing listener behavior may be a pathway for emergent intraverbal and reverse intraverbal responding in children with ASD. Future research could examine what skill repertoire may facilitate such transfer.

TRAS: Validity and sensitivity of a language assessment tool for children with ASD

Interventions for preschool children with autism typically require professionals and parents to identify which social and language skills the individual child shows deficits in. Many assessment tools aimed at identifying such deficits exist, but they often require extensive training to use. The present study investigated the potential usefulness for said assessment purposes of the Norwegian assessment tool, TRAS - "Tidig Registrering Av Språkutveckling" (i.e. Nordic acronym for assessment of early language development), which can be used by preschool teachers without any specific training. Participants were 54 children with ASD, aged 2-5 years, enrolled in a behavioral intervention program. Participants were scored using TRAS at three time points during treatment to investigate TRAS' sensitivity for detecting change. Only participants who had TRAS scores registered at all three time points were used for this analysis (n = 27). At intake, children were also scored using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, the results of which was then compared to TRAS scores. Results showed that TRAS scores increased significantly across time points, indicating that the tool is sensitive to treatment effects. TRAS scores also correlated significantly with Vineland communication subscale (n = 50), indicating that the measure can be used to measure language abilities in children with ASD. We conclude that TRAS is a potential alternative to more comprehensive language assessment tools for children with ASD.

Intensive behavioural interventions based on applied behaviour analysis for young children with autism: An international collaborative individual participant data meta-analysis

LAY ABSTRACT

Early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based interventions are designed to support young autistic children's learning and development. Unfortunately, the available evidence about the effectiveness of these interventions remains unclear. Several reviews have focused on the published findings rather than contacting the authors to collect and analyse data about the individual participants in the original studies. Also, most of the studies were carried out by groups involved in delivering the interventions leading to the potential bias in interpreting the results. Our research team (supported by an international advisory group) carried out an independent individual patient data review by collecting the original participant data from the authors of the studies, to examine the effectiveness of these interventions. The results suggested that early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based interventions might lead to some changes in children's cognitive ability (intelligence quotient) and everyday life skills after 2 years, compared with standard treatments. However, all the studies had problems with the way they were designed. Also, few of the studies looked at outcomes that have been described as most important to autistic people or followed children beyond 2 years. We think that further systematic reviews of the existing evidence are unlikely to add to the findings of our review. Furthermore, we recommend that future research should investigate which types of supports and interventions are most effective for children and families, prioritising outcomes measures that are meaningful for the autism community and include, wherever possible, longer-term follow-up.

Quality of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention as a Predictor of Children's Outcome

Research has directed surprisingly little attention to the quality of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a potential predictor of outcome. Therefore, using a preschool delivery model within a sample of 30 children, we examined the predictive power of EIBI quality on treatment outcome. EIBI quality was assessed at baseline by the York Measure of Quality of Intensive Behavioral Intervention (YMQI) and treatment outcome was evaluated after a period of 4 to 6 months using a battery of behavioral tests and scales to evaluate treatment success. Multinomial logistic regressions demonstrated that general EIBI quality predicted clinically significant change at follow-up. Particularly improvements in basic language and learning skills and global clinical impression were observed. Specific quality indicators that influenced overall treatment success were treatment organization, teaching level and differential reinforcement. In addition to previously examined predictors of EIBI treatment effects, such as child characteristics and intervention quantity, our findings highlight the importance of adequate EIBI quality assurance.

Treatment Gains from Early and Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) are Maintained 10 Years Later

This study reports outcome in adolescents with autism who in their childhood received Early and Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI). Nineteen children (16 boys) who had received two years of EIBI starting at a mean age of 2-years-and-11-months were followed up, on average, 12 years later. Results showed the participants significantly increased their cognitive and adaptive standard scores during the two years of EIBI, and that these gains were maintained at follow-up, 10 years after the EIBI had ended. Participants also showed a significant reduction in autism symptoms between intake and follow-up. At follow-up, none of the participants had received any additional psychiatric diagnoses, and none were taking any psychotropic medication. Results indicate that treatment gains achieved in EIBI are maintained into adolescence.

Children with Autism show Atypical Preference for Non-social Stimuli

The present investigation describes three studies testing the hypothesis that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show an atypical preference for non-social stimuli. Preference for non-social and social stimuli was assessed using applications on a portable tablet computer. Twenty-eight children with ASD were matched on developmental age with the chronological age of 41 typically developing (TD) children. The non-social stimuli consisted of six different films of abstract moving geometric patterns. Social stimuli were six different films of the face of young adults (Study 1 and 3) or six films of different dogs' faces (Study 2). When given a choice between the non-social and social stimuli, children with ASD preferred the non-social stimuli. When the human faces were replaced with dogs' faces the participants with ASD continued to prefer the non-social stimuli. A high reinforcement value of non-social stimuli was also demonstrated when the non-social stimuli were presented alone, suggesting the preference for the non-social stimuli was not simply an avoidance of social stimuli. Whenever an infant prefers non-social stimuli over social stimuli, non-typical development in social communication and social interests may result, together with the development of high levels and frequently occurring stereotyped and repetitive behavior. These behaviors define Autism.

Emergent Intraverbal Forms may Occur as a Result of Listener Training for Children with Autism

The purpose of the present study was to assess whether intraverbal behavior, in the form of answers to questions, emerges as a result of listener training for five children diagnosed with autism. Listener responses were targeted and taught using prompting and differential reinforcement. Following successful acquisition of listener responses, the intraverbal form of the response was probed. Data were evaluated via a nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design that included a control series. Results showed listener-to-intraverbal transfer for four of the five participants. One participant required additional teaching that involved tacting the items selected during listener training.

Interest level in 2-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder predicts rate of verbal, nonverbal, and adaptive skill acquisition

Recent studies have suggested that skill acquisition rates for children with autism spectrum disorders receiving early interventions can be predicted by child motivation. We examined whether level of interest during an Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule assessment at 2 years predicts subsequent rates of verbal, nonverbal, and adaptive skill acquisition to the age of 3 years. A total of 70 toddlers with autism spectrum disorder, mean age of 21.9 months, were scored using Interest Level Scoring for Autism, quantifying toddlers' interest in toys, social routines, and activities that could serve as reinforcers in an intervention. Adaptive level and mental age were measured concurrently (Time 1) and again after a mean of 16.3 months of treatment (Time 2). Interest Level Scoring for Autism score, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule score, adaptive age equivalent, verbal and nonverbal mental age, and intensity of intervention were entered into regression models to predict rates of skill acquisition. Interest level at Time 1 predicted subsequent acquisition rate of adaptive skills (R(2) = 0.36) and verbal mental age (R(2) = 0.30), above and beyond the effects of Time 1 verbal and nonverbal mental ages and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule scores. Interest level at Time 1 also contributed (R(2) = 0.30), with treatment intensity, to variance in development of nonverbal mental age.

Narrowing the gap: effects of intervention on developmental trajectories in autism

Although still a matter of some debate, there is a growing body of research supporting Early and Intensive Behavioral Intervention as the intervention of choice for children with autism. Learning rate is an alternative to change in standard scores as an outcome measure in studies of early intervention. Learning rates can be displayed graphically as developmental trajectories, which are easy to understand and avoid some of the counter-intuitive properties of changes in standard scores. The data used in this analysis were from 453 children with autism, previously described by Eldevik et al. Children receiving Early and Intensive Behavioral Intervention exhibited significantly steeper developmental trajectories than children in the control group, in both intelligence and adaptive behaviors. However, there was a considerable variability in individual learning rates within the group receiving Early and Intensive Behavioral Intervention. This variability could partly be explained by the intensity of the treatment, partly by children's intake intelligence quotient age-equivalents. Age at intake did not co-vary with learning rate.

An analysis of verbal stimulus control in intraverbal behavior: implications for practice and applied research

A common characteristic of the language deficits experienced by children with autism (and other developmental disorders) is their failure to acquire a complex intraverbal repertoire. The difficulties with learning intraverbal behaviors may, in part, be related to the fact that the stimulus control for such behaviors usually involves highly complex verbal stimuli. The antecedent verbal control of intraverbal behavior may involve discriminative stimuli (i.e., discriminated operants), conditional stimulus control, and/or control by compound stimuli. Distinctions among these different types of antecedent control are presented, along with recommendations for intervention procedures that may facilitate the acquisition of intraverbal behavior.

Grammatical constructions in typical developing children: effects of explicit reinforcement, automatic reinforcement and parity

This study replicated and extended Wright (2006) and Whitehurst, Ironsmith, and Goldfein (1974) by examining whether preschool aged children would increase their use of passive grammatical voice rather than using the more age-appropriate active grammatical construction when the former was modeled by an adult. Results showed that 5 of the 6 participants began using the passive voice after this verbal behavior had been modeled. For 3 of the participants, this change was large. The change occurred even though the adult model explicitly rewarded the participant with praise and stickers for using the active voice, while providing no praise or stickers for using the passive form that was modeled. For 1 participant, the modeling procedure had no effect on use of the passive voice. These results indicate a strong automatic reinforcement effect of achieving parity with the grammatical structures used by adults, compared to the effects of explicit reinforcement by the adult. This might help to explain why children acquire grammatical structures prevalent in their language community apparently without explicit instruction.

O. Ivar lovaas: pioneer of applied behavior analysis and intervention for children with autism

O. Ivar Lovaas (1927-2010) devoted nearly half a century to ground-breaking research and practice aimed at improving the lives of children with autism and their families. In the 1960s, he pioneered applied behavior analytic (ABA) interventions to decrease severe challenging behaviors and establish communicative language. Later, he sought to improve outcomes by emphasizing early intervention for preschoolers with autism, provided in family homes with active parental participation. His studies indicated that many children who received early intensive ABA made dramatic gains in development. Lovaas also disseminated ABA widely through intervention manuals, educational films, and public speaking. Moreover, as an enthusiastic teacher and devoted mentor, he inspired many students and colleagues to enter the field of ABA and autism intervention.

The discrimination of object names and object sounds in children with autism: a procedure for teaching verbal comprehension

We assessed whether 2 preschoolers with autism learned to discriminate between the sounds of musical instruments more rapidly than the spoken names of the instruments. After the children learned the sound-object relations more rapidly than the name-object relations, we then evaluated a prompt-delay procedure for transferring stimulus control from the sounds to the names of the instruments. The prompt-delay procedure facilitated the acquisition of name-object relations for both children.

Using participant data to extend the evidence base for intensive behavioral intervention for children with autism

We gathered individual participant data from 16 group design studies on behavioral intervention for children with autism. In these studies, 309 children received behavioral intervention, 39 received comparison interventions, and 105 were in a control group. More children who underwent behavioral intervention achieved reliable change in IQ (29.8%) compared with 2.6% and 8.7% for comparison and control groups, respectively, and reliable change in adaptive behavior was achieved for 20.6% versus 5.7% and 5.1%, respectively. These results equated to a number needed to treat of 5 for IQ and 7 for adaptive behavior and absolute risk reduction of 23% and 16%, respectively. Within the behavioral intervention sample, IQ and adaptive behavior at intake predicted gains in adaptive behavior. Intensity of intervention predicted gains in both IQ and adaptive behavior.

Cognitive and Adaptive Behavior Outcomes of Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Intellectual Disability

Data from Norway were analyzed to evaluate early behavioral intervention for children with intellectual disabilities. The intervention group ( n = 11) received approximately 10 hours per week of behavioral intervention; the eclectic comparison group ( n = 14) received treatment as usual. After 1 year, changes in intelligence and adaptive behavior scores were statistically significant in favor of the behavioral intervention group (effect sizes of 1.13 for Intelligence quotient (IQ) change and .95 for change in adaptive behavior composite). Approximately 64% of the children in the behavioral intervention group met objective criteria for reliable change in IQ, whereas 14% in the eclectic comparison group did so. These results suggest that children with intellectual disability may profit from behavioral intervention typically provided for children with autism.

Assessing progress during treatment for young children with autism receiving intensive behavioural interventions

This study examined progress after 1 year of treatment for children with autism who received a mean of 36 hours per week one-to-one University of California at Los Angeles Applied Behavior Analysis (UCLA ABA) treatment. Two types of service provision were compared: an intensive clinic based treatment model with all treatment personnel ( N = 23), and an intensive parent managed treatment model with intensive supervision only ( N = 21). A non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants ( N = 13) examined whether progress was associated with ABA treatment or confounders. Between intake and follow-up, children in both groups improved significantly on IQ, visual-spatial IQ, language comprehension, expressive language, social skills, motor skills and adaptive behaviour. There were no significant differences between the two groups on any of the measures at follow-up. Mean IQ for participants in both groups increased by 16 points between intake and follow-up. These findings are consistent with previous studies demonstrating the benefits of ABA treatment.

Meta-analysis of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention for children with autism

A systematic literature search for studies reporting effects of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention identified 34 studies, 9 of which were controlled designs having either a comparison or a control group. We completed a meta-analysis yielding a standardized mean difference effect size for two available outcome measures: change in full-scale intelligence and/or adaptive behavior composite. Effect sizes were computed using Hedges's g. The average effect size was 1.10 for change in full-scale intelligence (95% confidence interval = .87, 1.34) and .66 (95% confidence interval = .41, .90) for change in adaptive behavior composite. These effect sizes are generally considered to be large and moderate, respectively. Our results support the clinical implication that at present, and in the absence of other interventions with established efficacy, Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention should be an intervention of choice for children with autism.

Outcome of comprehensive psycho-educational interventions for young children with autism

This paper evaluates comprehensive psycho-educational research on early intervention for children with autism. Twenty-five outcome studies were identified. Twenty studies evaluated behavioral treatment, 3 studies evaluated TEACCH and 2 studies evaluated the Colorado Health Sciences Project. Outcome studies are graded according to their scientific value, and subsequently graded according to the magnitude of results documented in the studies. Based on the available evidence, treatment recommendations are made and practice parameters are suggested.

Frequency and latency of social interaction in an inclusive kindergarten setting: a comparison between typical children and children with autism

This study investigated the frequency and latency of naturally occurring social interaction with typically developing children and those with autism in inclusive kindergarten settings. The children with autism were also subdivided into two groups according to intellectual functioning in order to analyze frequency and latency of social interaction in relation to degree of disability. The results showed a significant difference in frequency of social interaction between the typical children and those with autism. There was no difference between the groups on latency to initiate interaction. However, shorter latency was associated with higher frequency in the typical group but not in the group of children with autism. Significant differences in IQ and adaptive functioning were found between the children with autism who showed interaction and those who did not. The results for the typical children may be used as benchmark values for the assessment of treatment outcome for children with autism.

Outcome for children with autism who began intensive behavioral treatment between ages 4 and 7: a comparison controlled study

This study extends findings on the effects of intensive applied behavior analytic treatment for children with autism who began treatment at a mean age of 5.5 years. The behavioral treatment group (n = 13, 8 boys) was compared to an eclectic treatment group (n = 12, 11 boys). Assignment to groups was made independently based on the availability of qualified supervisors. Both behavioral and eclectic treatment took place in public kindergartens and elementary schools for typically developing children. At a mean age of 8 years, 2 months, the behavioral treatment group showed larger increases in IQ and adaptive functioning than did the eclectic group. The behavioral treatment group also displayed fewer aberrant behaviors and social problems at follow-up. Results suggest that behavioral treatment was effective for children with autism in the study.

Effects of low-intensity behavioral treatment for children with autism and mental retardation

We retrospectively compared 2 groups of children receiving either behavioral treatment (n = 13) or eclectic treatment (n = 15) for an average of 12 hours per week. Children were assessed on intelligence, language, adaptive functioning and maladaptive behavior at pretreatment and 2 years into treatment. The groups did not differ significantly at pretreatment. After 2 years of treatment, the behavioral group made larger gains than the eclectic group in most areas. However, gains were more modest than those reported in previous studies with children receiving more intensive behavioral treatment, and it is questionable whether they were clinically significant.

Behavioral treatment of children with phonological disorder: the efficacy of vocal imitation and sufficient-response-exemplar training

This study examined whether sufficient-response-exemplar training of vocal imitation would result in improved articulation in children with phonological disorder, and whether improved articulation established in the context of vocal imitation would transfer to other verbal classes such as object naming and conversational speech. Participant 1 was 6 years old and attended first grade in a regular public school. Participant 2 was 5 years 4 months old and attended a public kindergarten. Both participants had normal hearing and no additional handicaps. A multiple baseline design across behaviors (target sounds or blends) was employed to examine whether the vocal imitation training resulted in improved articulation. Results showed that both participants improved articulation once training was implemented, and that the improved articulation transferred from vocal imitation to more natural speech such as object naming and conversational speech. Improvement established during training was maintained posttraining and at a 6-month follow-up.

Toward the use of a standardized assessment for young children with autism: current assessment practices in the UK

Little is known about the progress of autistic children following specific interventions in England. Nor do we know how frequently standardized assessments are used to monitor progress or to evaluate specific educational interventions. The reports of 75 children with autism, for whom special educational provision had been determined by a local education authority, were reviewed. Parents were interviewed and educational psychologists were contacted for details of any norm-referenced assessments. Of these children, 39 percent had no standardized assessments before education authorities determined their provision, and only 9 percent had follow-up assessments that could be used to evaluate progress. Children with autism in the UK rarely have sufficient assessments to allow an objective evaluation of their progress. There is currently no standardized assessment protocol to prescribe a specific educational intervention, to evaluate the progress of children or to make comparisons between interventions. We recommend the development of such a protocol.

Progress and outcomes for children with autism receiving parent-managed intensive interventions

Parent-managed behavioral interventions for young children with autism are under-researched. We analysed data from 66 children served by 25 different early intervention consultants. After a mean of 31.6 months of intervention, IQ scores had not changed (N = 22). Vineland adaptive behavior scores had increased significantly by 8.9 points (N = 21). No children aged >72 months attained normal functioning, i.e., IQ > 85 and unassisted mainstream school placement (N = 42). Progress for 60 children across 12 months was found for mental age (5.4 months), adaptive behavior (9.7 months), and language (5.1 months). The interventions did not reproduce results from clinic-based professionally directed programs. The effectiveness of the parent-managed intervention model as it has developed and the adequacy of professional services in that model are discussed.

Intensive behavioral treatment at school for 4- to 7-year-old children with autism. A 1-year comparison controlled study

This study was designed to evaluate 1 year of intensive treatment for 4- to 7-year-old children with autism. An independent clinician assigned children to either behavioral treatment (n = 13) or eclectic treatment (n = 12). Assignment was based on availability of personnel to supervise treatment and was not influenced by child characteristics or family preference. The two treatment groups received similar amounts of treatment (M = 28.52 hours per week at the child's school). Children in the behavioral treatment group made significantly larger gains on standardized tests than did children in the eclectic treatment group. Results suggest that some 4- to 7-year-olds may make large gains with intensive behavioral treatment, that such treatment can be successfully implemented in school settings, and that specific aspects of behavioral treatment (not just its intensity) may account for favorable outcomes.

Progress and outcomes for children with autism receiving parent-managed intensive interventions

Parent-managed behavioral interventions for young children with autism are under-researched. We analyzed data from 66 children served by 25 different early intervention consultants. After a mean of 31.6 months of intervention IQ scores had not changed (N = 22). Vineland adaptive behavior scores had increased significantly by 8.9 points (N = 21). No children aged > 72 months attained normal functioning, i.e., IQ > 85 and unassisted mainstream school placement (N = 42). Progress for 60 children across 12 months was found for mental age (5.4 months), adaptive behavior (9.7 months), and language (5.1 months). The interventions did not reproduce results from clinic-based professionally directed programs. The effectiveness of the parent-managed intervention model as it has developed and the adequacy of professional services in that model are discussed.

The UCLA reading and writing program: an evaluation of the beginning stages

Some individuals with developmental disabilities fail to acquire functional speech despite extensive teaching efforts. To help such individuals develop functional communication skills, a "reading and writing" program was developed. This study was designed to evaluate early parts of the program. Acquisition, transfer, and maintenance of "reading and writing" skills was examined and compared with the acquisition, transfer, and maintenance of sign language. Participants were four children with autism, who scored within the mentally retarded range on standardized tests of intellectual, adaptive, and language functioning, and three 3-year-old non-disabled children. A simultaneous-treatment design was employed to compare the rate of acquisition of "reading and writing" skills to the rate at which the participants acquired receptive and expressive signs. For the participants with autism, acquisition of "reading and writing" was more successful than receptive and expressive signing on all variables assessed. All non-disabled participants acquired all of the "reading and writing" and sign language skills, but participants with autism did not. However, "reading" was acquired slightly quicker by the participants with autism than the non-disabled participants, and the participants with autism also showed some evidence of better transfer and maintenance than the non-disabled participants did.

Parent-managed behavioral treatment for preschool children with autism: some characteristics of UK programs

Early intensive behavioral intervention for autism has attracted controversy since Lovaas (1987) reported that 47% of his experimental group attained normal functioning. We summarize child and program data from 75 children receiving EIBI in the UK. The majority of children (57%) started treatment later than in Lovaas (1987), and 16% did not exceed his minimum IQ criterion. Children experienced fewer hours of treatment (mean of 32 hours vs. 40 hours per week), and their programs received relatively infrequent supervision. 21% of programs received supervision from individuals currently accredited as competent to provide Lovaas's treatment. No child started early enough, and received 40 hours per week, and had accredited supervision. Due to these variations from his model, Lovaas (1987) findings are unlikely to be replicated for this sample of children.

Teaching children with autism to initiate and sustain cooperative play

This study investigated the acquisition, transfer, and maintenance of cooperative play in six children with autism. Two approaches were compared. In one approach, the participants observed two models engaging in cooperative play, before taking the place of one of the models while the play episode just observed was repeated. The second approach was identical to the first except that the participants were now required to verbally describe the modeled play episode before taking the place of one of the models. During training, modeled play episodes varied across play topics, and the criterion for mastery was first trial learning of novel play episodes. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants was applied. The results showed that the participants failed to acquire cooperative play until the verbal description was included in the training procedure. Following training with verbal description, all participants: a) could initiate episodes and sustain episodes initiated by their play partner; b) were able to take turns in episodes that were considerably longer than the episodes practiced during training; c) varied their play within and between play episodes; and, d) transferred those skills across play partners, settings, and time.

Intensive behavioral treatment for preschoolers with severe mental retardation and pervasive developmental disorder

From archival records, we assessed outcomes achieved by preschoolers with both severe mental retardation and autistic features: (a) an experimental group (n = 11), which received intensive behavioral treatment, and (b) a comparison group (n = 10), which received minimal treatment. At intake (mean CA = 3.08 years), the groups did not differ significantly on any variable. At follow-up children in the experimental group obtained a higher mean IQ and evinced more expressive speech than did those in the comparison group. Behavior problems diminished in both groups. Results indicate that intensively treated children achieved clinically meaningful gains relative to the comparison group but remained quite delayed.

The autistic label and its potentially detrimental effect on the child's treatment

This study asks whether adults teach a child labeled "autistic" differently from a child labeled "normal". Twenty undergraduate college students served as student-teachers. Results showed that the student-teachers gave significantly more praise and reward marbles for incorrect responses, as well as significantly less verbal correction, when the child was labeled "autistic". The inference is that such treatment could make it more difficult for the autistic child to acquire new skills.

The development of functional and equivalence classes in high-functioning autistic children: the role of naming

The development of functional and equivalence classes was studied in four high-functioning, preschool-aged autistic children. Initially, all subjects failed to demonstrate match-to-sample relations indicative of stimulus equivalence among two three-member classes of visual stimuli. Then, 2 subjects showed emergence of those relations after they were taught to assign the same name to all members in each class. Next, subjects were taught names for new stimuli outside the match-to-sample format. On subsequent match-to-sample tests, 2 subjects demonstrated untrained conditional relations among the stimuli given a common name. New, unnamed stimuli were then related via match-to-sample training to stimuli from sets of named stimuli. Tests for emergent conditional relations between the new unnamed stimuli and the named stimuli yielded positive results for 1 subject and somewhat mixed results for 3 subjects. Finally, without naming, 2 subjects developed stimulus equivalence among two new three-member classes of visual stimuli. These data suggest that naming may remediate failures to develop untrained conditional relations, some of which are indicative of stimulus equivalence.